Casing puller



PRICE lll Patented Apr. 26, 1927.

JAMES W. PRICE, OF TULSA, OKLAI-IOIYIA.

CASING PULLER.

Application filed April 26, 1926.

'This invention relates to oil well drilling equipment, and particularly to a trip spear for pulling oil well casings.

it is an object of this invention to provide novel means which will possess advantages in points of efficiency and durability for pulling oil well casings; and the invention includes novel means whereby slips einployed in such tool are slidably mounted and supported, or have hearing surfaces on the mandrel with which they coact, at locations opposite the teeth that are intended to grip the casing.

It a further object of this invention to provide novel means for contracting or moving the slips inwardly for causing them to release their grip on the casing, in the event that the casing cannot be pulled, or it is otherwise desirable to regain or remove the l tool from the casing'.

lt is well known that tools of this character become lost at times when conditions occur which preclude the withdrawal of a casing and the dislodgment of the tool from its gripping hold on the casing.

The present invention embodies means which actuate. the slips, dislodge them from their gripping` connection with the casing, and restore the said slips to their normal inoperative positions, when the tool may be removed from the well.

It a still further object of this invention to provide novel means for connecting the slip actuating device tothe mandrel, and to provide means for retaining the slip actuating device inoperative under normal conditions, and to provide means by which it is thrown into action under abnormal conditions, such as those stated.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction, and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application, wherein like characters denote correspending parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 illustrates a view in elevation of a mandrel having the slips associated with a slip dislo-dging or actuating device;

Figure 2 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view thereof with the slips omitted;

Serial No. 104,811.

Figure 3 illustrates a view in side elevation of one of the slip groups;

Figure t illustrates a sectional view of the device on the line lfof Fig. 2; and

Figure 5 illustrates a sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

In these drawings, 10 denotes a stem or mandrel which, as well known in the art, is to he connected to jars that are used in well drilling apparatus. The mandrel has one or more longitudinally extending and stepped guideways or grooves 11, in whichthe slips 12 are to operate. The walls of the grooves on opposite sides are provided with sets of slots such as 13 that are inclined or oblique with relation to the longitudinal axis of the mandrel, the sets of slots in the upperv end of the mandrel terminating short of the ends of the seats in which the slips are located in order that there will be a clearance between the ends of the slips and the ends of the feats in which they are lodged. The upper end walls of the grooves are curved as in-v dicated at'll in order that mud or gravel deposits there-in may be dislodged to permit the slips to move inwardly, and the said slips may therefore gain their normal positions to free the casings when such action is desired.

The slip for each groove has sets of ribsl faces of the slips have a plurality of stepped inclined surfaces 16 which conform in number and spacing to the stepped surfaces of the grooves so that there will be a camming action between the slips and the mandrel which will cause the slips to move outwardly when themandrel moves. upwardly, independently of movement of the slips longitudinally.

The outer surfaces of the slips have sets of serrations or teeth 17 with a space such as 18 between each set of teeth or serrations, which space is of less height than the operating edges of the teeth or serration's, and these recessed portions are located in such positions that they are opposite those inclined part-s of the slips that are not supported on the mandrel when the slips are operating, so that the strain of pulling will not be imparted to those portions of the slips that are unsupported. The lowermost porH tion or section of the slip is not provided with teeth, but it projects downwardly clear Cil of the groove when the slips are in operation, as the relation ot` parts in the drawing` will indicate.

The lower end of the mandrel has a transversely disposed recess 19 in which a detent 20 is slidable and held projected by a springr 21 interposed between the inner end of the detent and the bottom oi the recess, and the said mandrel terminates in an extension 22 preferably reduced in dian'ieter, as compared with the diameter of the mandrel.

A sleeve 23 has an apertured uppei` end 24: through which the lower end of the niandrel extends and in which it is slidable. The sleeve has an annular internal flange 25 forming aguide for the end ot the mandrel, and the side of the flange where it merges with the inner wall of the sleeve is curved to produce a camming surface 26 which is intended to force the detent inwardly to permit the sleeve to move longitudinally of the manfdre'l. The office of the detent, howeverf, is to hold the sleeve on the mandrel during normal operation, but it yields un der abnormal ope 1ation to permit movement of the sleeve, as stated. The sleeve has a channel or opening 27 which will receive the extension 22 of the mandrel, but the sleeve is prevented from any appreciable movement with relation to the extension under normal conditions, by reason off the presence of a transversely disposed pin 28 which is of a material that will be sheared when force is exerted to cause relative movement of the mandrel `and sleeve. The sleeve has a plug 29 in its end which may be removed for permitting the escape of the shearedportion of the pin when the parts are to be re-set.

The interior of the sleeve between the annular flange 25 and the channel 27 is provided with ashoulder 3() which will be encountered by the shoulder 3l between the end oi. theM mandrel and its extension to limit the movement of the sleeve with relation to the mandrel and to prevent impact of the end of the sleeve with that portion ot the mandrel containingr the' slips.

A hole 32 is formed in the sleeve opposite the detent for the purlliose ot permitting the insertion of a pusher whichy will force the detent inwardly to permit removal ont the sleeve from the mandrel. It desired` an aperture 33 is also formed in the sleeve below, the flange 25 in position where a pusher can be inserted for forcing the detent inwardly after the flange has passed the detent, as .it would do, should the pin be sheared to permit the relative movement ol the sleeve and mandrel. By providing?r this aperture 33, the detent may be pushed inwardly in order that it will clear the flange and permit the parts to resume their normal position, as shown in Fig'. gl.

The apertures are preferably plugged by screws such as 24rthat may be removed when access to the interior is to be had. The detent is shown as having a cirfmnitm'A ential groove 35, and a retaining' pin -lt extends transversely near the lower end ot' the mandrel and enters the groove $35 to retain the spring and detent in assembled positions in the recess.

As the operation of the dii-ferent elements has been described in connection with a description of the elements and their relations to the elements1 a rsum oit the operation is believed unnecessary tor an understanding by one skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a easing' puller, a mandrel having longitudinally movable slips, a sleeve movable to engage the slips for forcing them longitudinally of the mandrel. a detent lor holding the sleeve on the mandrel, a shear-- ing element on the mandrel projecting into the sleeve, a shearable element carried by the sleeve for engaging the shearing; element and preventing movement of the sleeve with respect to the mandrel under normal ope atingr conditions and shearable to permit movement of the sleeve longitudinally ot' the man drel whereby the slips are abutted and move :tor releasing them from a easing.

2. In a casing puller, a mandrel havingr longitudinally movable slips, a sleeve movable to engage the slips for forcing them longitudinally ol the mandrel, a d'etent forholding the sleeve on the mandrel, a shearing,r element on the mandrel projecting into the sleeve. a shearable element carried by the sleeve .tor engaging the shearing' element and preveniing movement ot the sleeve with respect to the mandrel under normal operating;A conditions and shearable to permit movement ol 4the sleeve longitudinally ol the mandrel whereby the slips are abutted and moved l'or releasingthem trom a casing. and means l'or forcing the detent inwardly to prrznit morev meilitof the sleeve l'orce is applied to the too JAMES w. Pinon.

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